5 2 8 L a t h r o p A v e n u e R i v e r F o r e s t, I l l i n o i s

Transcription

1 5 2 8 L a t h r o p A v e n u e R i v e r F o r e s t, I l l i n o i s we watched through the night as we were taught lighted a new candle blessed water for the font told stories around our little fire remembering creation and covenant love and rescue sang gloria and alleluia with full voice and trumpet yet our rejoicing is a little forced holding just a hint of desperation hungry for familiar words to prove our hopes are not misplaced our Lent not wasted our faith not foolish (in a time of lies and betrayal marchers in the street flowers not quite blooming Easter eggs still hidden) we acknowledge that an empty tomb still leaves unanswered questions faith stretched to breaking point yet once again he joins us in the breaking of bread in the blessing of peace and the peace he gives clear and sure solid as a rock (in spite of everything) is cause enough for true and carefree joy E. M. Jeep APRIL 8, 2012 Easter Sunday

2 Readings for the Week of April 8, 2012 Monday, April 9, :30 am Margaret Ann Braukman 8:00 am Sarina Conmy Tuesday, April 10, :30 am Theresa Ford 8:00 am Thomas Cusack IV Wednesday, April 11, :30 am James Morris 8:00 am Joan Mary Blackman Thursday, April 12, :30 am The Blessed Sacrament Ministries 8:00 am Special Intention Friday, April 13, :30 am Maria Ernestina Palos 8:00 am Edward Feeley Saturday, April 14, :00 am Hazel & John Donoghue Monday - Friday, April 9-13, :00 am Mon-Fri: Adult Servers Sunday: Acts 10:34a, 37-43/Col 3:1-4 Monday: Acts 2:14, 22-33/Mt 28:8-15 Tuesday: Acts 2:36-41/Jn 20:11-18 Wednesday: Acts 3:1-10/Lk 24:13-35 Thursday: Acts 3:11-26/Lk 24:35-48 Friday: Acts 4:1-12/Jn 21:1-14 Saturday: Acts 4:13-21/Mk 16:9-15 Next Sunday: Acts 4:32-35/1 Jn 5:1-6/Jn 20:19-31 Liturgical Publications Inc Michael Brady, Edward Evangelista, Denis Hutchings, Stephen G. Kehoe, Richard Kinner, Frank Kurr, Dick Prince, and Lu Prince Elizabeth Capilupo, Rev Kevin D. O Rourke, William J. Pirages 2 Saturday, April 14, :00 - Mass Intention: The Moran, Daley & Eagen Families Servers K Peterson, A Trucco; Cross Bearer: C Donlin Readers Dottie Chemler, Laura Hogan Euch Min P Kennedy, J Megall, T Ogba, B Peterson, P Romano, R Romano, M Shalloo Sunday, April 15, :30 - Mass Intention: The People of St. Luke Parish Servers C Riggs, L Riggs; Cross Bearer: J Sajdera Readers Terry, Roche, Tom Smedinghoff Euch Min V Atkins, J Lynch, M B Smedinghoff 9:00 - Mass Intention: Dr. Robert Lee Muldoon Servers T Gorman, L Irvin; Cross Bearer: J Atkins Readers Tony Graefe, M Monahan Euch Min L Neal, B Nickels, R Norton, A Ramirez, G Rara, C Saunders, J Slowik 10:30 - Mass Intention: Jane Hosty Servers L Sloan, M/W Smith; Cross Bearer: M Smith Readers Bob Miller, Julia Mannix Euch Min J Clark, J Clark, M Karasis, P Nguyen, L Ramos, E Sloan, J Stumbris 12:00 - Mass Intention: Ray Le Fevour Servers C Hopkinson, E Ponce; Cross Bearer: B Crotty Readers Deborah Hopkinson, Elizabeth Kincanon Euch Min M Arenas, K Binder, J Burns, E McIntosh, A Valenti WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. ~Psalm 118:1 On this day we thank God for His Son, Jesus, who died and arose for us. We celebrate and sing Alleluia. But how do we show our gratitude all year to the Lord who spread out His arms on the cross to save us and show us the way to salvation? ~ From the weekend of April 1, 2012 Weekly Giving Goal $16, Actual Weekly Giving , Fiscal Year to Date Weekly Giving Goal , Actual Weekly Giving , Goal to Date for Year +/(-) $(12,261.00) ~ We are always very grateful for the sacrifices you make to support the mission, goals, and ministry of St. Luke Church. Thank you for your generosity!

3 All the members of the St. Luke Parish Staff join me in wishing you and yours the Lord s special blessings on this Easter Day. May the Risen Lord be at the center of our lives to guide us in His way and bring us to the fullness of life in union with Him. May God bless you all. Alleluia! If you are new to our church or just visiting, please stop and introduce yourself. We are happy to have you share in today s celebration of the Eucharist. If you do not have a church home, we invite you to become a part of our parish family. Our church is open to anyone looking for a spiritual home. To register as a parishioner, please call the rectory at on any weekday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Pope John Paul II designated the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. This year it is April 15. In a decree dated August 3, 2002, the Apostolic Penitentiary announced that in order to ensure that the faithful would observe this day (Divine Mercy Sunday) with intense devotion, the Supreme Pontiff himself established that this Sunday be enriched by a plenary indulgence... so that the faithful might receive in great abundance the gift of the consolation of the Holy Spirit. In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their neighbor, and after they have obtained God s pardon, they in turn might be persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters. The plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!). On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 15, from 3-4 pm, we will have a Holy Hour consisting of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, recitation of the rosary and the Divine Mercy chaplet, and Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will also be available during this Holy Hour. Everyone is invited to join in this special prayer and devotion. APRIL 8, 2012 Easter Sunday 3

4 On Saturday, March 31, our Cherub and Seraphim choirs helped to begin our observance of Holy Week by leading the music for our Palm Sunday Vigil. Hand bell ringers led the way for the Palm Sunday procession into the church. At the conclusion of the Passion reading, the Seraphim choir led the assembly singing of "Jesus, Remember Me" and fulfilled the role of cantors during the Mass. The Cherub choir members sang a special communion meditation for the Palm Sunday Mass. Both of our grade school choirs helped provide a meditative and emotive musical backdrop for this solemn vigil. Saturday, April 28 The St. Luke School First Annual Trivia Night!! Get your friends together for a fun night of trivia. Your table of 10 is your team. You will work together to answer 100 questions/ 10 categories! Doors open at 6:30 pm. Trivia starts promptly at 7:00 pm. B.Y.O.B and food/appetizers for your table! $20 per person/$200 table. Please make check payable to St. Luke School. Questions? Call Joanie Register at the St Luke School office by April WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

5 Tomorrow, Monday, is bridge day for the Prime Timers. We start at noon and play until 2:30 pm. Players at any level are welcome. There are only two more days to make a reservation for the Prime Timers trip to the Union League Club on Monday, April 16. We will have a private tour of the critically acclaimed art collection and have lunch in their main dining room. The cost is $23 for lunch which includes tax and tip. There will be an additional charge of $8-10 for parking as we are car pooling. We will leave from the Hospitality House at 10:15 am for our 11:00 am tour. Please call Ann O'Connell at by Tuesday, April 10. The Resurrection Our celebration of the Resurrection brings us new joy and hope! Throughout Lent, your support of Operation Rice Bowl has helped offer hope to millions of people around the world who benefit from the work of Catholic Relief Services. For six weeks you have prayed for the people of Madagascar, fasted in solidarity with the people of India, learned about the challenges in the lives of people in Vietnam and El Salvador, and given sacrificially to create economic opportunities in Zambia. Their struggles and the efforts of CRS are far from over, but you have made a difference. Thank you for your participation in Operation Rice Bowl! If you have not yet returned your Rice Bowl please drop it off at the Rectory. If you would rather just give a check, make it out to St. Luke Parish and put Operation Rice Bowl on the memo line. The check can be sent to the Rectory or put in the offertory basket. Thank you. Christmas and Easter are traditional times for making a special gift to our parish. Our goal for this Easter is $80,000. Your generosity is needed so that we can meet this budgeted goal. Thank you for your support. Let us keep in our prayers the following couples who are preparing to celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony: James R. Tito, Jr. and Kathleen Vertuno Martin Johnstone and Candace Macleod Christopher Broughton and Carolyn Gibbs B.J. Reid and Megan Fitzpatrick Brian D. Graham and Jennifer L. Godar Gatherings is the electronic newsletter sent out at the beginning of each month previewing all the great things happening in our parish. It is easy to sign-up for this monthly preview. Just visit our parish website at and submit your with the button that says get updates. The Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass will be held on Sunday, September 23, at 2:30 pm at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 North State Street, Chicago. Couples married in 1962 interested in attending this celebration should contact their parish to register. For further information call the Family Ministries Office at or visit the website: familyministries.org. APRIL 8, 2012 Easter Sunday 5

6 Religious Education classes will not meet the afternoon and evening of Wednesday, April 11, because the St. Luke School building is closed for Easter Break. April 18 and April 25 will be our last classes for the school year. We will have pre-registration for the school year on both dates from 3:30-4:45 pm and 6:30-7:45 pm in Waldron Hall. We encourage current families to preregister, along with other families who have children in grades K-8. Religious Education Advisory Board will meet on Thursday, April 19, at 7:30 pm in the Religious Education Office. On Wednesday, April 18, the 8 th grade Religious Education students will meet at 6:30 pm in the Church for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. St. Luke School 8 th graders will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on April 23 during school. Confirmation robes will be handed out to the Confirmandi on Wednesday, April 18. The 8 th graders would like to thank Ms. Amanda Collins, our Youth Director, and high school students Stephen Skapek, Kitty Harrington, and John Burns, for all the ways they witnessed their faith for our last Spiritual Preparation session on Wednesday, March 14. It was a wonderful way to bring closure to our spiritual year of study and reflection. At this year s Dinner Dance and Auction, an anonymous donor provided St. Luke School with a very generous gift of $25,000. This donor also challenged the community to raise an additional $25,000 which the donor would match dollar for dollar up to $25,000. This means that the school could raise a total of $75,000! We invite you to join us in reaching our goal! Consider making a donation now and you will double the impact of your giving. To participate in this challenge, make a gift by April 30. Gifts can be made online at slsrf.ejoinme.org/mypages/donationpage/ tabid/249371/default.aspx, by sending a check to St. Luke School made payable to St. Luke School- Matching Gift, or by contact Sheila Price at Thank you for your continued support and generosity. Together we can make a difference in a child s life. Our 8 th graders are making their final preparations to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday, April 24. Bishop George Rassis will come to St. Luke s to administer the sacrament to them. And our 2 nd graders are preparing to receive their First Holy Communion on the weekend of May 5-6. Let us keep all of these young people in our prayers as they prepare to experience God s special love through these sacraments. The need for emergency food assistance still remains high. Please remember to bring nonperishable food and personal care items to Mass on Sunday and place them in the baskets at the back of church. These are the items that are most needed: pasta and rice, cereal (hot or cold), canned veggies, fruits, and beans, canned soups and stews, peanut butter, coffee and tea hand soap, toothpaste, toilet paper Visit our page The Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry on Facebook for more information. Thank you. 6 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL

7 Alleluia! He is Risen! Saturday, April 21 4:00-7:00 pm Dominican University Lewis Hall, Main Campus River Forest, IL (near Division Street and Forest Avenue) Proceeds benefit The Learning Center educating adults in the Blessed Sacrament area. Celebrate Spring for a great cause! May you find many blessings in this Easter season. May you find joy in the company of loved ones. May you live everyday in the knowledge of the miracle of Easter morning and in certain faith in God s great love for you. Spark is taking a break for Easter Sunday but will return Silent Auction Wine Pull Basket Raffle Hors D Oeuvres Wine Beer Donation: $75 For more details, call the Nickels (708) Please volunteer two hours of your time to make a difference for more than 600 children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities. To volunteer, call Cynthia Maroon , or go to: Help make spring a little brighter for our neighbors on the West Side of Chicago through your service on Saturday, May 5. We will start the day with a rally, end with a block party, and in-between, do some incredible work in locations ranging from schools to nursing homes. We are looking for current eighth graders and high school students ready to volunteer, as well as adults willing to be drivers or chaperones. All you need to do to register is fill-out the forms available online or by contacting Amanda, and return it all to the St. Luke Youth Ministry Office. Register before April 15 for the Early Bird Fee of $29. The fee is set by our hosts, but it is the policy of St. Luke Youth Ministry that cost should never prevent involvement: need-based scholarships are available. Peace, Amanda Collins, Coordinator of Youth Ministry acollins@stlukeparish.org Check-out the YM page at APRIL 8, 2012 Easter Sunday 7

8 We are currently preparing for the publication of the 2012 St. Luke Parish Directory. Part of that preparation is assuring that the information we have for each parish household is correct. If the information in the 2011 Parish Directory is still correct and no changes or additions need to be made, there is no need to respond. However, if you registered in the parish after February 1, 2011, or if your name/s, address, telephone number, or address as published in the 2011 edition is not current, please contact Sue at the parish office ( or as soon as possible. Thank you for taking the time to respond so that the 2012 Parish Directory can be as accurate and complete as possible. Rev. Kenneth J. Fischer, Pastor / frken@stlukeparish.org Rev. Robert P. Marchwiany, Associate Pastor / rmarchwiany@stlukeparish.org Rev. Leroy A. Wickowski, Retired / lwickowski@stlukeparish.org Paul Faherty / pfaherty00@aol.com Terry Norton / reneeterry@yahoo.com John O Neill / oneill435@sbcglobal.net Bob Slobig / bobslobig@comcast.net 528 Lathrop Avenue, River Forest / stlukeparish@stlukeparish.org Sue Gamache, Office Manager: / sgamache@stlukeparish.org As the war in Afghanistan continues, let us pray that all our military personnel may be kept safe from harm and return safely home to their loved ones. We pray especially for LtCol John D. Loftis, MAJ Robert J. Marchanti II, SGT Allen R. McKenna Jr., and SrA Julian S. Scholten, who died recently. May they rest in peace. And let us pray that the leaders of our nation and of all nations may work untiringly to end all war and violence and to build a true and lasting peace among all peoples. The St. Luke Athletic Committee would like to congratulate the following winners of the 500 Club drawing: April 1, 2012 John & Rosemary Gleason Thank you to all who have purchased memberships in the Club, the proceeds of which go directly to fund the school s athletic programs. 519 Ashland Avenue, River Forest / jschwarzbeck@stlukeparish.org Barbara Rasinski, Principal / brasinski@stlukeparish.org 519 Ashland Avenue, River Forest / religiouseducation@stlukeparish.org Sr. Colleen Nolan, O.P., Director / cnolan@stlukeparish.org Music Director Arlene Michna: / amichna@stlukeparish.org Coordinator of Youth Ministry Amanda Collins: / acollins@stlukeparish.org Parish Business Manager Glenn Wagner: / gwagner@stlukeparish.org Director of Stewardship & Development Sheila Price: / sprice@stlukeparish.org Hospitality House (former Convent) Sr. Mary Ann Mueninghoff, OP: Saturday - 5:00 pm Sunday - 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 am & 12:00 noon Weekdays Monday-Friday 6:30 and 8:00 am Saturday 8:00 am 8 WELCOME TO ST. LUKE River Forest, IL Monday-Friday - After 6:30 & 8:00 am Masses Saturday - After 8:00 am Mass, and by appointment